Ohio House passes bills to change absentee ballot rules, eliminate six days of early voting

Updated Feb 19, 2014; Posted Feb 19, 2014

Kim O' Malley, a worker at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, sorts through the absentee ballots in May 2010. The Ohio House voted Wednesday to prohibit Cuyahoga and other counties from mailing unsolicited in-person absentee ballot applications.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The GOP-controlled Ohio House passed along party lines on Wednesday two bills that make changes to the mailing of absentee ballot applications and cut six days from Ohio's 35-day early, in-person voting period.

The Senate approved House-made changes to the bills before sending them to Gov. John Kasich, who is expected to sign them into law.

Senate Bill 238 would eliminate six early voting days referred to as "golden week," when people can both register to vote and cast an in-person absentee ballot. The Ohio Association of Election Officials recommended the five-day period be scrapped to create a clean break between when voters can register and when they can cast ballots.

Democrats and voter rights advocates said reducing early voting days would disenfranchise voters and lead to longer lines at the polls. They also questioned the urgency and motive behind passing the bills.

Senate Bill 205 would prohibit individual county boards of election from sending out unsolicited absentee ballot applications. The bill allows the Ohio Secretary of State to send them out, statewide, if lawmakers appropriate money to pay for it. Republicans said voters are not treated equally because some county boards of election choose to send out applications and pay for return postage on absentee ballots and ballot applications.

The bill passed along party lines in a 59-39 vote. Democrats failed to pass amendments to allow absentee ballots to be requested online and to increase the number of days to make a correction on an absentee ballot application.

Both bills soared through the Senate but had a slower journey through the House. Voter advocates warned lawmakers that cutting early voting days could lead to longer lines at the polls and disenfranchise those voters who want to or might only be able to leave the house once to register and vote.

Both billswould go into effect for the November 2014 election.

House Republicans called a news conference before the votes to preempt critics who contend the bills amount to voter suppression.

Rep. Mike Dovilla, R-Berea, said the House Policy and Legislative Oversight Committee, which he chairs, has approved common-sense election reform. Dovilla said charges of voter suppression, racism and other over-the-top charges are insulting.

"Early voting is a matter in this state and other states of convenience," Dovilla said. "It's not something that is suppressing the vote, it's not something that's preventing anybody from voting, and today with the passage of [SB] 238, we'll still have as indicated a number of early voting days that places Ohio in the top 10 states."

Democrats blasted both bills in lengthy floor speeches until Republicans voted to end debate. Rep. Kathleen Clyde, D-Kent, opposed the bills and read aloud names of Ohioans who were denied votes because they made minor mistakes such as using a married name or misspelling an address on their absentee ballot applications.

Rep. Dan Ramos, D-Lorain, said the bills will make it harder for urban Ohioans -- and in turn, African-American and Hispanic Ohioans -- to vote.

“Voters shouldn’t have to tip toe around a set of rules specifically tailored to throw out their ballots when exercising their most basic right as citizens," Ramos said. "Explicitly or implicitly, this bill disenfranchises those among us who have historically been most disenfranchised.”

Republicans countered that Ohio boasts many opportunities for Ohioans to vote early by mail and in person. Rep. Matt Huffman, R-Lima, said most rational people would agree with the reforms made.

“Allowing somebody four weeks before the election to vote, allowing them to mail in their ballot, making it clear how you register -- all the things you have to do -- is not voter suppression,” Huffman said.

Earlier on Wednesday, members of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus and advocates for a ballot initiative to add a "voters bill of rights" to the Ohio Constitution said lawmakers should refrain from changing election law until Ohioans have a chance to vote on their proposal.

The amendment would cement in the Ohio Constitution that Ohio voters can vote during the two weekends prior to Election Day, among other provisions.

"We believe that the political games that are happening with voting rights should not happen," Reece said. "There should be a moratorium until there is a Voters Bill of Rights in the Constitution that voters get an opportunity to vote on."